What it means in practice
30 days is about a month. If you arrive on 1 November 2026, your last legal day is 30 November 2026, because the arrival day is day one. Use the stay calculator for your own dates.
For a longer base you need an extension, if one exists, or a different visa from the start. Repeated back-to-back entries are at the officer's discretion.
How Benin counts your stay: 30 or 90 days from the entry date on the e-visa.
Before you go
Official details are shown in English.
- Benin e-visa — Cost: €50 / €75 / €100 when you apply yourself (€60 / €85 / €110 via an embassy); Processing: 1 to 96 hours; Validity: 30 days single or multiple entry, or 90 days multiple entry, from the chosen entry date; Stay: 30 or 90 days. Apply on the official site
- Benin e-visa — At least 7 days and no more than 90 days before entry; €50 (30 days, single), €75 (30 days, multiple), €100 (90 days, multiple); non-refundable. Apply online with your passport details; pay by card with 3-D Secure. Processing takes from 1 to 96 hours. Validity starts on the entry date you choose. An issued e-visa cannot be changed, so double-check your details. Official site
- Yellow fever vaccination (recommended) (optional) — At least 10 days before travel; Depends on the vaccination centre. Benin's Ministry of Health announced on 16 September 2026 that vaccination cards, including yellow fever, are no longer checked at airports, ports or land borders. The check can be reinstated in a public health emergency, and GOV.UK still lists the certificate as an entry requirement, so carry it if you have one. Official site
- Get Nigeria, Ghana or Togo visas in advance (optional) — Before travel; —. Visas for Nigeria, Ghana and Togo cannot be obtained in Benin. Official site
At the border
Official details are shown in English.
- Passport valid for the whole stay
- A passport previously reported lost or stolen will be refused
- Printed or digital e-visa
- Declare any goods that may be prohibited or subject to duty; customs rules are strict
How to avoid overstaying
- Go by your stamp or visa. The date the officer gives you is the one that counts, even if it is shorter than the maximum.
- Plan to leave a day or two early. With 30 days, book your exit before the last legal day so a cancelled flight doesn't push you over.
- Extend before you run out. Before the e-visa expires, contact the Direction de l'Emigration et de l'Immigration (DEI).
- Penalties. Our data does not list the overstay penalty for Benin. Ask the immigration authority before you risk it: fines, deportation and entry bans are common elsewhere.
Good to know
Official details are shown in English.
- FCDO advises against all travel to Parc du W, Pendjari National Park, the adjacent hunting zones and areas within 5 km of the Burkina Faso border, and against all but essential travel to the rest of Alibori and Atacora and the area between the RNIE 2 highway and the Nigerian border.
Questions
Do New Zealand citizens need a visa for Benin?
New Zealand citizens need an e-Visa for Benin, applied for online before the trip. It covers stays of up to 30 days.
How long can New Zealand citizens stay in Benin?
Up to 30 days, according to Bordr's data. 30 or 90 days from the entry date on the e-visa.
Can I extend my stay in Benin?
Before the e-visa expires, contact the Direction de l'Emigration et de l'Immigration (DEI).
What do I need at the border in Benin?
Passport valid for the whole stay; A passport previously reported lost or stolen will be refused; Printed or digital e-visa.
When was this checked?
Bordr last checked the entry rules for Benin against official sources on 30 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the official source before you travel.
Sources and last check
Entry rules for this destination were last checked against official sources on 30 October 2026. Visa-free days come from the passport matrix in the Bordr app, corrected where the official rules differ.
- GOV.UK — Benin entry requirements
- GOV.UK — Benin travel advice (warnings)
- Benin e-visa portal — FAQ
- Benin e-visa portal — visa fees
- Benin e-visa portal — Ministry of Health notice on yellow fever checks (16 Sep 2026)
- MFA of Russia — entry regimes for Russian citizens (open data)
This page is general information, not legal advice. Entry rules change and border officers have the final say. Check the official government source for your destination before you travel.
Includes visa data from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0), retrieved 1 November 2026; Bordr's official-source checks take precedence.
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